Second Sunday of Lent
(continued)
From Fear
to
Love
Lenten Reflections on the
Parable of the Prodigal Son
by Henri J.M. Nouwen
(1932-1996)
(For Lent this year, a season of reflection and renewal,
I am forgoing the usual quotes and using only snippets from Henri
Nouwen found at
the site above in his “Reflections on the Parable of the Prodigal Son.”)
The parable tells of a wealthy landowner’s son
who leaves home and squanders his inheritance. When he returns destitute but
contrite, the father joyfully welcomes him, causing resentment in the dutiful
brother. The father explains that a celebration is warranted for “your brother was
dead, and is alive again.” We learn that God, like a loving parent, is merciful
and forgiving, that reconciliation with Him is a gift. That we should not judge
others, but rejoice when a sinner returns to His fold.
Light and Listen
Light Upon the Cathedral
HOFSTETTER,
Gerry *
Washington
Cathedral
Washington,
DC
United
States
See:
The Illumination
May 9, 10, & 11, 2008
http://www.nationalcathedral.org/ltu/main.shtml
The love
of the father embraces not just the return of the son but also the leaving of
his child. That’s really important: the whole movement of leaving and returning
is a movement done under the loving eyes of the father.
In a very deep way, you in your life, are always
leaving and returning.
It’s not just a onetime event; it’s an ongoing
experience.
… Our God waits with compassion and tenderness.
So often people grow resentful and bitter as
they grow older …
… trust that life’s interruptions are the places
where you are being molded into the person you
are called to be.
You know you are living a grateful life when
whatever happens
is received as an invitation to deepen your
heart,
to strengthen your love, and to broaden your
hope.
When you’re still dealing with all your own
needs and anxieties and fears,
you have to divide the world into enemies and
friends.
But God doesn’t do that.
God showers the rain over the good as well as
over the bad.
God doesn’t need to divide the world into those
for God
and those against God because God loves
each one uniquely and unconditionally.
Our God wants you to do the same,
but you can only do that if you believe in
God’s unconditional love for you and if you are
not
overly dependent on human affirmation or
rejection.
Sharron, Joan, and I went to see Quilters at Center Stage.
Dennis
and Kathleen Conover, juror
Colorado Watercolor Society 21st Annual
Exhibition
Foothills Art Center
Golden, Colorado
Our Painted Toe Society had a
potluck to honor them.
(And
for our tummies.)
Yum!
Mt. Evans Home Health and Hospice
Benefit Dinner
March
3, 2012
Medieval
Merriment
Mt.
Vernon Country Club
Some
people REALLY dressed for the evening!
Hanna,
Randy, and Kimra
Marcia,
Dee
And then there were the rest of us.
<gr>
Carolyn,
Barb, and Al
The question is how to go from an absurd life to
an obedient life,
from a deaf life to a listening life.
If you are anxious and nervous and tense and upset,
you don’t listen because you are so anxious
that you don’t have space to listen.
You can’t let the voice of God come in.
The whole gospel [is saying,] “All that is mine is yours.
All that I say is for you to hear, all that I know is for you to know,
all that I do is for you to do.”
Really try to listen to that and keep listening so as not to forget.
March 4, 2012 Second
Sunday in Lent
Previous OPQs may be found at:
http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm
* The Artist
Swiss artist Gerry Hofstetter made his debut in the U.S. with
this project. He is internationally known for lighting Antarctic icebergs,
Egyptian pyramids, European churches, and more.
http://www.nationalcathedral.org/ltu/hofstetter.shtml
All quotes are from Henri Nouwen.
Then he
began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be
rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and
after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him
aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he
rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your
mind not on divine things but on human things."
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to
become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and
follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who
lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For
what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of
me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of
Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy
angels."
Mark 8:31-38
Agnus Day, by James
Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
Mark 8:31
http://www.heartlight.org/gallery/1496.html
Gen. 17:1–7,
15–16
Ps. 22:23–31
Rom. 4:13–25
Mark 8:31–38
or Mark 9:2-9